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The Lebanon Career & Technology Center’s Building Authority discussed potential construction plans during a meeting Friday morning, Dec. 19.
As previously reported by LebTown, the authority owns the building and will award financing if the project is approved by a majority vote of Lebanon County’s six public school districts. The joint operating committee, which manages school operations on behalf of the public school districts that send students there, must also approve one of the plans.
Following the completion a feasibility study approved in April 2024, the CTC’s joint operating committee has been in review of four concept plans of potential renovations to the center, costing $84,638,770, $94,867,373, $100,583,821, and $123,260,195.
These plans range from significant overhauls and additions to the existing structure to the formation of a completely new center, and the demolition of existing structures.
Read More: CTC reviews four construction plans ranging from $80 million to $123 million
Construction plans
Option A
Option A includes the renovation of existing spaces and the addition of some new buildings to center grounds.
Though this plan would be the cheapest to implement on paper (around $84,638,770 according to provided stats), it may incur additional opportunity costs.
Estimated to take over 39 months (four summers), this plan would be the “most disruptive to education,” according to the Beers + Hoffman cost analysis. The center may also have difficulty finding bidders able to work within the stated timeframe, and may need to rent swing spaces and pause some programs.
Option B
Revised from a previous version that sketched new construction on top of a wetlands area, Option B attaches new buildings to the existing center, with plans to demolish some existing buildings at the school.
According to a cost comparison provided by Beers + Hoffman, the plan would likely take around 31 months to complete and cost a base rate of $90,326,684 (adjusted to $94,867,373 with expected cost escalation by 2027 and phasing impact costs).
The summary also noted that this plan would generate “some disruptions to education,” with some renovations taking around four months to complete and requiring time out of the early or late school year (as opposed to only being undergone during the summer).
Option E
Option E, which includes the addition of two new structures and the demolition of two existing ones, is estimated to cost $100,583,821 including escalation and phasing impact costs.
Like Option B, this plan would also generate “some disruptions to education,” with some portions possibly taking four months to complete and stretching beyond the summer.
Option F
The only option set to involve demolition of the entire existing school, Option F proposes the construction of a new three-story building, not to overlap with existing structures.
Including likely escalation costs due to a 2027 start-time, this option is estimated to cost $123,260,195.
This option would be the least disruptive to student education, as construction could occur during any time of the year without need to displace students. Once the project is complete, the existing center would be demolished.
This plan would not replicate the center’s existing “ramp condition,” in which the main hallway is at a slight incline due to shifts in elevation.
In addition to hearing a presentation from CTC director Chuck Benton on the options, the committee also discussed potential funding challenges.
The Articles of Agreement for the CTC, which are approved by Annville-Cleona, Cornwall-Lebanon, Eastern Lebanon, Lebanon, Northern Lebanon, and Palmyra Area school districts, are currently up for renewal.
“At the end of the day, I need seven people here, I need six JOC, and I have to have five from every school board to vote to move forward,” said Benton. “It’s not just the majority between everyone, it’s the majority of each individual board. So there’s a lot of people that need to be on board.”
JOC chairman Thomas Turnbaugh said he was worried about there being enough votes for the project due to extensive costs and the need to enter a bond to pay back expenses.
Benton said presentations on the renovation options have been made to the boards of all participating schools, and he is hopeful a resolution will be reached. He suggested all members of the authority speak with their respective school boards about the renovation.
“The one thing I have noticed from everyone, is that everyone knows that there’s a need,” said Benton. “We’re moving forward, and I think that a little give and take; articles may have to be adjusted on the funding formula of that bond that you will approve.
“The one thing I can see is nobody has walked totally away. Everyone is having conversations, and we keep moving forward.”
Lori Yaw, representative of Palmyra, said the center should not cut corners while choosing a renovation path, noting that Palmyra recently needed to undergo renovations to correct issues from an earlier renovation.
The feasibility study found issues with many of the utilities of the center.
Feasibility Study
It notes that much of the school’s piping, ductwork, and specialty exhaust/supply systems date back to 2006 and are “well past their expected lifecycle.” The study similarly found fixtures beyond their lifecycle in plumbing, audio/visual, compressed air system, storm sewer systems, and more.
Though renovations in 2008 updated some parts of the center, every area studied by the feasibility study saw recommendations made to further update in some way.
The board discussed the possibility of grant funding to partially fund the large project, which Benton said he had been looking into and was an option. The costs presented were, he said, representative of the costs the center would owe if grants were not obtained.
The board also reorganized, opting to select Turnbaugh as chairman, Amber Weaver as vice chairman, and Bryan Smith as secretary/treasurer.
They discussed the possibility of meeting more regularly as discussions of renovations ramp up, including the need to meet to approve the payment of bills monthly should any contracts be approved.
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